A national survey of Social Weather Stations found that 19% of the adult labor force or an estimated 8.7 million Filipinos are unemployed.
While the figure is lower than the 21.3% or 9.6 million Filipinos reported without jobs in December 2022, it is still higher compared to the 17.5% in December 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey was conducted from March 26 to 29, 2023 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The sampling error margins are ±2.8% for national percentages, ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The survey was non-commissioned.
According to SWS, the decline in joblessness was due to the decrease in unemployment in all areas of the country except in Mindanao.
“As of March 2023, adult joblessness was highest in Balance Luzon at 21.7%, followed by Mindanao at 19.0%, Metro Manila at 17.5%, and the Visayas at 13.5%,” it said.
“Compared to December 2022, the quarterly joblessness fell from 24.8% in Metro Manila, 23.1% in Balance Luzon, and 18.6% in the Visayas. However, it hardly moved from 18.1% in Mindanao,” it added.
Those jobless are those who voluntarily left their old jobs, are seeking jobs for the first time, and lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.
Joblessness peaked at 45.5% in July 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It went on a generally downward trend from September 2020 to December 2022, reaching as low as 18.6% in October 2022.
In the same survey, SWS also said the country’s Labor Force Participation Rate is at 62.4%, or around 45.9 million — slightly higher than the 62.6%, or an estimated 45.2 million, reported in December 2022.
SWS defines the labor force as adults (18 years and above) presently with a job plus those looking for a job. The Labor Force Participation Rate is the proportion of adults in the labor force.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
SWS: PH joblessness down but yet to return to pre-pandemic level
Source: Balita News
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